There is a story about Prometheus and Zeus, detailing the basis for happiness in the human species and it applies to the desirous nature of the music of Los Angeles' Cold Showers. There's rain on many parades there. Their gardens lie in waste. There's nary a smile and we wonder who was right, after reading the myth.

"Prometheus was a young Titan, no great admirer of Zeus. Although he knew the great lord of the sky hated explicit questions, he did not hesitate to beard him when there was something he wanted to know.

"One morning he came to Zeus, and said, 'O Thunderer, I do not understand your design. You have caused the race of man to appear on earth, but you keep him in ignorance and darkness.'

"'Perhaps you had better leave the race of man to me,' said Zeus. 'What you call ignorance is innocence. What you call darkness is the shadow of my decree. Man is happy now. And he is so framed that he will remain happy unless someone persuades him that he is unhappy. Let us not speak of this again.'

"But Prometheus said, 'Look at him. Look below. He crouches in caves. He is at the mercy of beast and weather. He eats his meat raw. If you mean something by this, enlighten me with your wisdom. Tell me why you refuse to give man the gift of fire.'

"Zeus answered, 'Do you not know, Prometheus, that every gift brings a penalty? This is the way the Fates weave destiny - by which gods also must abide. Man does not have fire, true, nor the crafts which fire teaches. On the other hand, he does not know disease, warfare, old age, or that inward pest called worry. He is happy, I say, happy without fire. And so he shall remain.'"